Propeller.



E. C. BLACKWELL.

PROPELLERQ APPLICATION FILED MAY 9, I914.

Patented Nov. 9, 1915.

2 SHEETS-SHEET I,

E. C. BLACKWELL.

PROPELLER. APPLICATION FILED MAY 9, 1914. 1,159,824, Patented Nov. 9, 1915. 2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

force derived through companying drawings,

. 3 is a section on ELMER ,o. BLAoKwnLL, or SALEM. Mrs-sonar.

PROPELL ER;

Specification of Letters Patent.

. Patented Nov. 9, :iQiES.

Application filed May a, 1914.. Serial No. 837,475.

To all whom it may concern Be it known that I, ELMER C. BLACKWELL, citizen of the United States, residing at Salem, in the county Missouri, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Propellers, of which the following is a specification.

y plane propeller.

The invention consists essentially in the provision of. a plurality of radially disposed propeller blades, so constructed and arranged relatively to operating means therefor as such movement, as will appear hereinafter, causing little or no resistance to be ofiered by the atmosphere-in one position of the blade, and a full'resistance to be offered in a second position of the blade, this particular operation serving to increase the propelling rotation of the propeller.

The primary object of the invention con templates means including a PllIIfilltYOf actuating disks so arranged relatively to the spindles of the several propeller blades as to engage lugs thereupon, the engagement tetween the said lugs and the said disks providing for automatic movement of the blades while rotating. j

A further object of the invention resides in the provision of a novel and peculiarly formed propeller blade support.

The above and additional objects are ac complished by such means as areillustrated in: their preferred embodiment in the acdescribed inthe fol-- lowing specification and then more particularly pointed out "in the claims which are appended hereto and form a part of this ap plication.

In describing my invention in detail reference will be had to the accompanyilig drawings wherein like characters denote like or corresponding parts throughout the several views, and in which Figure 1 is aface view of a propeller-con! struoted in accordance with the present in-. vention; Fig. 2 is'a similar v ew, one of the actuating disks having the line 33 of Fig. 1.; Fig. 4: is -a face view of one of the actuatingv disks; Fig. 5 is a similar view of the pro peller blade support;

the propeller blade of Dent and. State of invention relates to an improved aeroto be bodily shifted or movedt U an entirety by the numeral 2.

.portingring designated 6.

being axially alined, Witheach.

after fully described. been removed; Fig.

Fig. dis a fragmentary view illustrating-the arrangement of the lugs upon one of as will hereinafter appear.

spindles; and Fig. 7 is a imilar view taken at an angle to that ofFig. 6.

Before proceeding with the drawings, I desire to call particular attention to the fact that while ihave evolved my invention with reference to it's applica-' tlon 1n connection with aeroplanes, the same.

may be readily utilized as a means whereby movement may be imparted to boats, vehicles and other propelled devices susceptible of its application.

Referring now to the drawin s by numerals, l designates the propeller shaft upon which is mounted apro'pelier, designated. as Said propeller in its preferred embodiment includes a plurality of radiating blades 3, each of which is provided with a spindle a jou naled as at 5 within bearings. carried by a sup- The manner in the description of which the supporting ring Bis constructed is best illustrated in Fig. 5. Lugs 7 radiate from a hub or center oft-he ring 6, onelug this arrangement providing for the reception of the said lugs within recesses 8 formed in the ends of the several spindles.

Actuating disks, designated respectively 9 and 10 are arranged, one upon each face of the supporting ring 6, the actuating disk 9 upon the outer face of the ring being provided with a sleeve like extension 11 arranged. to embrace the said shaft 1. Disk 10 is also provided with a sleeve like extension designated 12, the latter-embracing a sleeve 13 integral with the supporting ring 6, which latter sleeve, as illustrated to advantage in Fig. sleeve 11 of the disk 9. A gear 1-"; is mounted upon sleeve 11 for rotating the said sleeve independently of the shaft 1. A second gear 15 is mounted upon sleeve 13 for in1 mentnecessary to the proper operation of the propeller. A third'gear 16 is mounted upon sleeve 12 for actuatingsaid disk 10 independently of the propeller, the purpose of actuating the disks 9 b I each provided with a semicircular ring 17, the said rings being supported n spaced relation to the main or body portion of the, disk through the n I 1 medium of strips 18, preferably arched, to provide for the operation of lugs 19 and 20 Shoulders 21 Disks 9 andlO are bearing 5,

3, is arranged to embrace the parting'to the said sleeve the rotary moveand 10 to be hereinare formed, at the respective terminals of position illustrated in Fig. 1. By

the ring 17 which shoulders, together with 5 shoulders formed adjacent th'eret'o but out of circumferential alinement, are adapted for engagement with the lugs 19 and 20 to provide for the shifting movement of the- .propeller blade 3 as the propeller is rotated. Operation of the device is as follows: Disks "9 and 10 being arranged as illus-' trated to advantage in Figs. 1 and 2, it is apparent that the lugs 19 and 20 will engage the shoulders 21 and 22 as the propeller-blades 3 rotate with the propeller, and as-the said lugs 20 engage thelshoulders 22, it is apparent that the blades 3- wi-ll be shifted or rotated whereby to assume the a continued rotation of the blades until lugs 19' engage shoulders 21, blades are again given a' half turn, such movement of the blades being automatic and positive. hen it is desired that the place at which the feathering action occurs be changed, each disk 9 and 101 is given a half turn. As the ring 6 is rotated, the lugs on the spindles engage the shoulders 21 and 22, such engagement causing the blades to be individually oscillated, the inner lugs 19 working in the space between the disk 9 and the. semi-circular ring-17 in oneposition of the ring 6 and the the most efficient and practical; yet realizing that the conditions concurrent with the.

adoption of my device will necessarily vary, I desire to emphasize thefactthat various minor changes in details of construction,

proportion and arrangement of partsmay be resorted to, when required, without sacrificing any of the advantages-of my inven;

tion, as defined in the appended claims. Having thus fully described my-invention, Whatl'c'laim as new and desire to se;,

cure by Letters Patent, is?

1. In a propeller, a rotatable element comprising a hub, spokes, and rims, radial lugs formed on the hub, a plurality of blade arms, each having 1 to receive the ra allugs,'.bearings-formed a socket formed therein on the rim. to engage the arms, flanges formed ,on the arms -to engage the rim, means .to rotate the element, and means to featherthe blades while rotating.

the arms and engaging the rim, a disk ar-,

lugs 20 working in the space beyond the pe ranged upon each of the respective lateral riphery of the disk 9, the respective lugs being engageable with the respective shoulders forimparting the proper oscillatory movement to the blades.

From-the foregoing, taken in connec'tion with the accompanying drawings it is apparent that the blades will shift automati cally to offera full amount of resistance to the atmosphere in one position and to offer -'little or no resistance in a second position,

this operation serving to increase the pro- Jpelling force to a'materia'l extent; that by the-provision ofthe arched strips 18, the operatio'n of the lugs 20 will in no way be impeded;'and that by journaling the spindles 4 as indicated at- 5, and arranging the sev- I eral lugs 7 withinthe recesses .8 therefor,

theblades are so 'mounted as 'to be bodily shifted from a position at right angles to the axis of rotation of'the propeller shaft to a position parallel with the said axis 'of' rotation, this shifting operation being illus f tra'ted clearly in' Fig. 1.

In reduction to practice, I have found that I the form of my invention, illustrated in the drawing'sand referred-to in the above description, as the '{pre'ferredembodimena is (lenient! thil patent may be obtaiiiegl t-or five cents each, by addressingbthe C ommissicner (1 Infants;

faces of the blade carrying. element to feather the blades whilerotating, means fitting th'e seelve like shaft and having connection with one of said disks to rotate it,

and means embracing said sleeve like shaft;

andhaving connection with the other of the said disks to rotate it simultaneously through rotation of the disk last mentioned.

3. In a propeller, a shaft, a disk mounted onsaid shaft, a sleeve, a duplicate disk .mounted on said sleeve and, disposed in prox mity tosaid first mentioned. disk but in spaced relation thereto, a second fsleeve inclosed by said first sleeve and linclosing said shaft, a propeller mounted on said last mentioned sleeve to rotate between said disks, a means to rotate ,the shaft and said sleeve, and a means on the propeller engaging said disks to feather the propeller blades. I i

In testimony whereof'I atfix my signature in presence, of two witnesses.

ELMER c. BLACKWELL. Witnesses: I

FRANK McDoNALn, we WM. H. WELCH.

Washington, D. 0. I 

